People's Post Woodstock/Maitland/City E-edition 17 March 2026

Fu

CapeTown’snextgeneration of leadershas officially taken theirseatatthe table.

TheCityofCapeTownwelcomed 50 newlyselectedjuniorcitycouncillors (JCC) on Saturday 7March, chosen from arecord-breaking 929 applications forthe unique leadership programme

TheJCC is aone-yearleadership programme developedtogiveyoung people insightintohow localgovernment worksand thekey functions of amunicipality.

It provides participants with an opportunitytogrowintheir knowledge, learnmoreabout themselves,and developtheir leadership skills.

Theprogramme also seeksto inspireyoung people to play an active role in theircommunities andtobe thechangetheywanttosee in their immediateenvironment

Thelearnershailfromschools across thecityincluding Janvan RiebeeckHighSchool,Sea Point High School,Herzlia High School, SouthPeninsula High School,ReddamHouse Constantia,StarCollege Cape Town andWynberg Boys’High School

People’s Post reachedout to some of thebrightminds to hear what they expect from theinitiative.

MiaBraun,a HerzliaHighSchool learner, said when sheheard about

pa bo ng issues affecting youngpeoplebecause we arethe futureofour countryand giving youtha pathwayand astrong foundation help builda betterfuture.

Iamalsoexcited to learnmoreabout government from experiencedleadersand from my peers, andtouse this opportunitytomakea positive impact.”

Braunhopes to developleadership skills,publicspeakingand problem-solvingskills throughthe programme.

“I am excitedtolearn practicalskills such as writingspeeches, brainstorming ideasand communicating confidently.I hope to applythese skills in my school andcommunity life anduse them to make apositive difference in my community.”

LaylaYaghya, from SouthPeninsula High,hopes to “amplify thevoices” of youngpeopleinher community

“I believeeveryonehas valuable opinions,and Iwanttoencourage my peerstospeak up andvalue their thoughts.I’d also like to help improve learning circumstancesfor young students and find ways to encourage them to chasetheir dreams -to find that thingthatdrivesthemand run with it,” shesaid.

Determined to make adifference in thelives of underprivilegedyouth, Yaghya says theprogramme will help equipher with thetoolstoinspire change

TOPAGE3

Allr ds lead to carnival

theirmoves.After themainparadeiscomplete, there’ll be theafter partytoenjoy untilmidnightfeaturing carnival supporter YoungstaCPT andother greatDJs.”

This year,the eventwillfeature 10 “Champions” drawnfromthe city’s creative community Whilethese championswon’t appear on the floats themselves,their artistry andstories have shaped thelook,energyand spirit of thepod spectators will see.

Amongthe 10 chosen championsisartist andperformer Terry Fortune, whopromisesa dazzlingdisplay of theatrical magicunder the

COLOUR,MUSIC AND MOVEMENT WILL TAKE OVER THE GREEN POINT FANWALK

themeFollowYourHeART Fortunesayshefeelshonouredtoformpart of this year’s carnival.“Iwas thrilledwhen they askedmetobepartofthe carnival.Tobe part of somethinglikethe floats is something different.”

Fortunesaysthe eventaimstoupliftcommunities andoffer amomentofjoy during challengingtimes

“Weare living in uncertaintimes,and the intentionofthe carnival is to create joy, bring back memories andcreatedelight.”

Fortunesaysbeyondthe spectacleand celebration, thecarnivalalsocreates opportunities foremploymentand tourismwhile promoting theimportanceofthe arts.“Thecarnivalcreates jobopportunitiesand opportunitiesfor people to gain experience.The carnival is importantto celebratethe relevanceofCapeTownand how it canboosttourism.Itisimportant that we use everyopportunitytomakethe public awarethat theartsisstill alive.”

Novusmedia,which publishes People’s Post, is aproud printmedia sponsorofthe event.

nleadusout of the darkness

On theprecipice of theVietnam war, famous folk singer BobDylan once sung:“Well you betterstart swimming or you’ll sink like astone causethe timestheyare-a-changin”.

Thesetimelesswords seem so prescient andominous in theuncertain timeswe find ourselvestoday,inthe wake of thebloody warinthe Middle-East,inflation, theUkraine invasion,Trump’s presidency andArtificial Intelligence(AI)modifying and“streamlining” theway we work

Sadly, theskills more people aredeveloping lately arerelated to howto“perfect” theirAI promptstovisualise aconcept insteadofstrugglingtounderstandphotography or learnan instrument anduse critical thinking

Idread thelong-term effects on ourbrain processing powerafter decadesofrelying on producingprompts insteadofpondering and solvingsomeofthe problems ourselves.

It is oftensaidthateachgenerationassumes they arelivinginthe “end times”,while the onepreceding it feelsthattoday’s youthare “doomed,spoilt, entitled”and frying their brains with TikTok andInstagram

Whetherit’sthe baby boomersemergingfrom WorldWar 2, millennialswitnessing changes in music, movies andcomputers reshapingour dailylives

Todaywe find Gen-Zcaughtinthe throes of social media, politicalturmoil between theleft andthe rightand survivinga pandemic that shackled theworld to slow down

However, I find Gen-Z’s social consciousness andurgetocallout injusticewhenitcomes to racism anddiscriminationsoimportant andso inspiringwhenitcomes to unitinginthe name of love,peace andunderstanding,especially with thefar-right so eagertomockand belittle theirvoicesand stakeinthe world.

We arebut onespecies whoall depend on each otherfor oursurvivaland yetpolitical ideologies andreligious extremists continue to divide us andevenleadtowarsand death wherehospitals andschools filledwithchildren,

arereduced to ashesand become “collateral damage”.

Sadly, some of us lack thecuriosity andempathytoimagine what itslikegrowing up in a differentbackground, culture, wayofeatingand celebratinglife. It’s such ajoy to travel andmeet someoneand theirfamilyfroma differentbackgroundand sharea homecooked meal around atable and seehow similarweare when it comestoprovidinga fulfilling life we canbeproud of Each of us is swimming in adark, mysterious current that candrown us or inspireustoswim. As ordinary citizens we have to navigate, survivethe challenges that meet us in each revolvingera,God forbid we find ourselvesin WorldWar 3.

We oweittoour children andthe next generation whoare hungry to help theworld andlivea life that is unique to them,tosupport them and guidethemontheir mission to make theirmark in society.

Ourparents always speakfondlyofthe golden oldies they listened to growinguplikethe Bee Gee’s, BobMarleyand WhitneyHouston and simplertimes,sotoo arethe next wave of youth eagertosee howtoday’s artistswillprovide the soundtracktotheir lives.

There’sa reason whythe 80ssounded differenttothe 90s, anew dawn haddescended with newexcitingideas

Thus Iremainoptimisticthatthe youthcan lead us outofthe darkness that breedsdivision, hatred,warfare anddeliver us to amomentin time wherewecan speaktoeachother around atable insteadofshoutingand justifying our opinions

Amidst thesocialupheavalofthe 60sanother inspiringtunebyThe Beatlesechoedonthe airwaves andstill soothestothisday with the simple message whichsaid, “all youneed is love”.

This simple mantra canhealthe worldfor thosewho wish to listen andthose whochoose to care

LocalisLekker at TableMountainCableway

With theschool holidays on thecards,the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company(TMACC) invitesSouth Africans to take advantageofits popularLocal is Lekkerspecial,currently available untilThursday30April

Thepromotion offersSouth Africans discounted return ticketsatR250per adultand R100 perchild,makingone of thecity’smosticonic outingsfar more accessiblefor families overthe Easter break.

Thespecial is availableonlineonly(SA ID required), andtickets must be purchasedahead of thevisit,assame–dayonlinesales arenot permitted.

With theEasterlongweekendand school holidaysfastapproaching, TMACCsaysthe offer is expected to give localtourism awelcome boost whileallowing more residentstoenjoy oneof theNew7Wonders of Nature

Adding to theseasonalfun,TMACC is again hostingits belovedEasterEgg Hunt,thisyear with adigital twist. LaunchingonFriday20March,the interactive experience takesplace entirely throughthe official TableMountainAerialCablewayapp. Guests cancheck theoperational status of the Cableway,viewqueue timesand monitorreal–time summitweather conditions.”

Courtconstruction

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

Constructionisunderwayona R1,1 million combination(combi) court that will give children in Ward 56, whichinclude Maitland,Kensingtonand Factreton, abrand-new spacetoplay.

Themulti-purpose courtwillcater to arange of sports,including tennis, netball, basketball, volleyball, andfutsalona single,adaptable playingsurface andisbeing erectedatFactreton PrimarySchool (“Newcombi courtin Kensington to promoteyouth sports”, People’s Post,8 July 2025)

AccordingtoWard56councillorCheslyn Steenberg,the projectisfully funded by the national Department of Sport, Arts andCulture Theareahas been plaguedbygangviolence andSteenberg believes theproject,set to be completednextmonth (April), will give the youthanopportunitytoengageinpositive activities.“Iamexcited aboutthe project. It will give youngpeopleanalternative to violence and gangsterism. Ihopetheywillmakeuse of the facility becauseitwillbenefittheminthe long term.”

Thecouncillorexpressedhis gratitudetothe department forselecting thewardasthe site for thecombi court.

Steenberg urgedresidents andpartnersto take ownershipofthe facility andsafeguard it from vandalism.

“I call on partners to ensure it this becomesan inclusivefacility. Iamappealingtothe community to take ownershipofthe facility andto ensure it does notget vandalised.”

Paul Mc Avoy,Factreton PrimarySchool principal, welcomed theinitiative, saying that sinceits establishmentover60years agothe school hasnever hadany sports facilities “Whenthe Ward councillorapproached us regardingthisproject it wasa no-brainer forus as aschool becausethe school only hastwo concretesurfacesfor sportactivitiesnothing else We don’thavea school hall.So, this projectis

FROMPAGE1

“Manyofour youthare underprivilegedand don’tget thesameopportunities, andI want to change that as best Ican.I know theJCC will guidemethrough that processand give me the toolstoupliftand empowerothers. Can’twait to seethe possibilities by theend of theyear.” Motivatedtobring aboutpositivechange, Albert GriesselfromJan vanRiebeeckHigh believes theprogramme will help “turncommunity concerns into action”.

“The JCCisthe firststepping stonetowards making arealchangeinthe livesofrealpeople andI look forwardtoworking with my ward councillorinorder to resolveour civicproblems.”

Griesselsaidheiseager to betterunderstand howlocal government works.

“The JCCpromisestoteach itscouncillors aboutthe structures of localgovernment. Thus,itwillshowushow to tackle community problems in themosteffective wayand allocate government resourcesinplacesthatmatter.” Forthe past five yearsthe programmehas been spearheadedbyDonovan Nelson,Ward 65 councillorwho played akey role in building

THE MULTI-PURPOSE COURTWILL CATER TO ARANGE OF SPORTS INCLUDING TENNIS, NETBALL,BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL,AND

welcomed.”

He believes thefacilitywillbebeneficial not only forthe school butfor theentirecommunity

“Thiswillmakea huge difference in thelives of thelearnersand thebroader community

Thecourt will accommodate aboutsix different typesofsport activities.Thiswillmakea huge difference andallowlearnerstopracticesport.”

Leslie Swartz,chair of theKensington, Factreton Residentsand Ratepayers Association (KFRRA), said thefacilityismuchneeded in the ward

“Where youthengagementand safety are concernedthe courtprovidesa structured outlet foryoung people,helping to reduce idle time andanti-social behaviour. encouraging physical activity forall agegroupsand supports ahealthy lifestyle.”

He said thedevelopment of thecourt will not only improvethe physical spacebut create a spacefor residentstoconnect andbuild strongercommunity bonds.

“Froma spatialpoint of view thecourt will definitely maximise andenhance public space. We trustthatfollowing itsimplementationthat it will be well maintained to enhanceneighbourhood morale andcommunity identity

“Anadditional benefitwillbestrengthening social cohesion as it createsa shared space whereresidents canmeet andbuild relationships.”

Swartz feelsthere hasnot been enough community engagement regardingthe project.

thecurriculumand expandingthe programme

This year also sees twonewly appointed co-custodiansofthe programme,NicoleSukers, PR councillorfor subcouncil 11, andNicola Jowell, Ward 54 councillor.

Sukers said:“Ilookforward to beinginvolved in aprogramme that will notonlyinspire but will allowmetoassist andengagewithCape Town’s futureleaders.Every youngperson needsa startinunderstanding thepolitical environmentand hopefully it createsthe opportunity formoreyoung people to be actively involved in thepolitical sphere.”

Jowell believes Cape Town’s futureisin“very good hands”

“Whatstood outduringthe orientationwas theenthusiasmand willingness of theseyoung people to step forwardand getinvolved.

Shesaidthe JCCisa powerful exampleof active citizenship.

“Welook forwardtosupportingthiscohort as they learnabout localgovernment, develop theirleadershipskills andbuild lastingconnectionswithone anotheroverwhatpromisesto be an exciting andpackedprogramme forthe year ahead.”

LegendaryIbrahim at Jazz Festival

TPHOTO:SUPPLIED

he renowned SouthAfrican jazz maestro AbdullahIbrahim is settograce the stageonceagain at this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF)taking

placefromFriday 27 to Saturday 28 Marchatthe Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Knownfor hisprofoundinfluenceonthe jazz scenebothlocally

andglobally,Ibrahim’sperformances arenothing shortof transformative Hisuniqueblend of traditionalAfricansoundswithjazz harmonieshas made himaniconic figure, cherishedbygenera-

tionsoffans. Ibrahim’sperformancewillnot just be aconcert buta heartfeltcelebration of resilience,culture, andthe enduring powerofmusic

Widely celebrated as oneofthe world’s

greatest pianists and composers, Ibrahim’s career spansmore than sixdecades and is rooted in therich cultural tapestry of District Six, wherehe wasbornand firstdevelopedhis distinctive sound.

Hisworkblends traditionalAfrican musicalidioms, gospel influences,Capejazz traditions,and theimprovisationallanguage of global jazz. As apioneering figure in South Africanmusic,

Ibrahimformedthe DollarBrand Trio in 1958 and, in 1959, co-founded TheJazz Epistles alongside Hugh Masekela,KippieMoeketsi, Jonas Gwangwa, Johnny Gertze andMakaya Ntshoko. Theirrecording became the firstjazz

Readers express theirviews on human rights

As SouthAfricareflects on thelegacy of theSharpeville Massacreon21 March1966 andthe sacrificesmade by thosewho fought forfreedom andjustice,the conversation around humanrightsremains as important todayasitwas decadesago

Theeventsofthatday serveasa powerful reminder of thecostofinequality andthe ongoingresponsibilitytoprotect andpromote therights of everypersoninthe country. While significant progress hasbeen made sincethe dawn of democracy, many communities stillfacechallenges that affecttheir basicrightsand quality of life.Withthisinmind, People’s Post askedreaders whichhuman righttheybelieve deserves themost attentioninSouth Africa today, and whytheyfeel it is an issuethatneeds urgent focus.

Alaric Jacob says:“Theright to food:there aresomanyinour countrywho arehungryand don’t have food.The unemployment levels aresohighand if we canhaveless restrictions forpeopletoactually do work forthemselves. So,let us help more people to getworksothatwe canfeed more people andmakethat difference.”

AlishiaDaniels believes theright to freedomand security needsurgent attention. “Itneedsattentionbecause criminalsare beinglet free even though they areguiltyoftrespassing andcompromisingthe safety of other individuals.”

Kgomotso Mhlakazi says:“It’s very difficult to just chooseone becausemostofthese humanrights need immediateattention. However,I’d go with protection services

becausethe levelofviolenceinthis countryiscrazy.GBV is aserious crisis in this country. We arenot safe in ourown houses,childrenare not safe at schools, thereare gangseverywhere,drugs everywhere.It’sjust violence andthe lawand ourjustice system aretoo lenientonthe perpetrators. We hear of scholartransport accidentsdue to reckless drivingand children dyingbecause there’snoone to enforceroadrules andthere are no harshconsequences, people do as they wish,pay abribe andmoveon. We hear of shootoutsevery day, rape casesand domestic abuse. Thereare killingsofwhistle-blowers,there are politicalkillings. Idon’t feel safe as a SouthAfrican andI stress aboutmy children’s safety everyday.Prisoners live agoodlifebecause they getfree meals, shelter, electricity, education andhealthcare.

MbuyiseloSibambane says womenand children’s rights must be prioritised. “Itissad to hear thereisa one-year-old childraped by heruncle or awoman killedbyher partner, and youask yourself wherethiscountry is going. Thegovernmentmustmake sure that it protects them andthatthe perpetrators stay behind bars.”

Nandipha Gxowa says women andchildren’srightsneed to be given attention.

Shesaysshe wantsthe government to impose astringent sentence on people whoare abusingwomen andchildren. “I don’tthink people whoare raping children andkilling womendeserve bail.Theyneed to rot in jail.Every dayweare complaining aboutthe same thing.”

Gary Adams says:“Thetwo most

TOR OPPORTUNITY

pplications forexclusive lubricantdistributorships:

WESTERNCAPE

WESTERNCAPE

�edistributorship will coverthe automotive &agriculturalsectors

&Safetystandards ed andbased in SouthAfrica ts distributor– no dual/multi brands th an active footprintinthe automotive sector.Fueldistributionbusinesses

ingofthe market andsupportingactivities geting selected segments gand logisticscapability econducted (noadverse judgements) individualsare encouraged to apply Business owners must be SouthAfrican citizen

Applicationshouldprovide theinformation below:

Business Profile

SalesStaffing Plan –Demonstrate howwillyou resource thebusinesstooptimizesales growth MarketKnowledge –Demonstrate understandingofthe localmarketthatyou areapplying for Finances -Demonstrate current financial capabilitytorun adistributorship 5-year business case,which includes annual volume and5-yeargrowthplan

Submit your applicationonorbefore31March 2026 to:lubestender@bp.com

Formoreinformation contact SiyasangaMbolekwa –072 3776877

pressing issues,inmyhumbleview, facing SouthAfrica, is housingfor our people andsafer communities (police areunderfundedand understaffed). Ourgovernmenthas failed our citizens on both theseconstitutional humanrights.”

MpumiSomlota says:“Housing andcrime.The people arestill living in informal settlements aftersomany years. Thehighcrime rate is butone of themanysideeffects of theinformalsettlements.Withwinteraround thecorner, my heartbleedsfor our people.”

SamkeloNonkumbi says:“The crimeisatanall-time high andpolice visibility needstobemore. Our people aredying andthe poor are sufferingthe most.”

Shiela Ndileka says:“Ireally want thefaultydrainstoget more attention in ourarea. It’s notonlydangerous forroadusers butalsoour children Thepotholesare very badand it damages thecars.”

LindseyJantjies says:“My favourite humanright is theright to privacy becauseitprotectsmypersonal freedom anddignity.Privacy allows people to keep theirpersonalinformation,thoughts, andconversations safe from others unless they choose to sharethem. It also givesindividuals thefreedom to make decisions withoutbeing constantly watchedor judged.For thesereasons,I believe theright to privacyisone of themost importanthuman rights,especially in my line of work,everyoneisall of asuddentracing agents.I hadto lock my Facebook accountand usea separate number becausemineisall over Cape Town.”